Not Quite Paradise
Not Quite Paradise is a 1985 British comedy-drama directed by Lewis Gilbert. It was originally released in Europe under the title Not Quite Jerusalem, adapted by Paul Kember from his 1982 play of the same name.
| Not Quite Paradise | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Lewis Gilbert |
| Produced by | Lewis Gilbert William P. Cartlidge |
| Written by | Paul Kember |
| Starring | Joanna Pacuła Sam Robards Kevin McNally Todd Graff Selina Cadell Ewan Stewart |
| Music by | Gian Piero Reverberi Rondo Veneziano |
| Cinematography | Tony Imi |
| Edited by | Alan Strachan |
| Distributed by | J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (UK) Anchor Bay Entertainment (US) |
Release date |
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Running time | 114 mins. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
It was filmed on two kibbutzim, Eilot and Grofit, as well as at the Mikveh Israel Agricultural School.[1]
Plot
Six naive British and American volunteers arrive on kibbutz Kfar Ezra for a working holiday, exchanging their labour for the opportunity to experience first-hand its unique collective lifestyle. When Mike (Sam Robards), a young medical student, falls in love with Gila (Joanna Pacuła), the Israeli girl who is organizing the volunteers' work and accommodation, he must choose between a life with her and returning home.
Cast
- Sam Robards as Mike
- Joanna Pacuła as Gila
- Kevin McNally as Pete
- Todd Graff as Rothwell T. Schwartz
- Selina Cadell as Carrie
- Ewan Stewart as Angus
- Bernard Strother as Dave
- Kate Ingram as Grace
- Gary Cady as Steve
- Naomi Rosenberg as Finnish Twin
- Schuli Rosenberg as Finnish Twin
- Yaacov Ben Sira as Dobush
- Esti-Katz as Rivka
- Aharon Greener as Asher
- Zafrir Kochanovsky as Menachem
- Libby Morris as Mrs. Schwartz
- Bernard Spear as Mr. Schwartz
- Poly Reshef as Ami
- Irit Frank as Nurse
Critical reception
Not Quite Paradise received very poor reviews. Nina Darnton of The New York Times panned the film as "an example of a good idea spoiled by a hackneyed, heavy-handed script, awkward directorial pacing, and posed acting. . . The script, while trying to humorously characterize national stereotypes, succeeds only in being insulting."[2] Joe Baltake of Philly.com called it "annoyingly schizophrenic – thuddingly humorless when it isn't shockingly offensive."[3] In a savage review in the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Goldstein argued that an "awkward" and "uneven" script, "a paucity of intriguing characters", and an overwrought soundtrack of quivering violins "delivers a dreary, cliché-ridden film with all the wallop of a sheaf of crumbling parchment paper."[4]
London's Time Out contrasted the "strong material" in Paul Kember's original play to this melodramatic, "caramelized" screen version: "Gilbert has created a toffee-apple with the apple removed: bite through the sweet crust of romantic Holy Land locations, handsome Israelis, dashing Arab terrorists and corny jokes, and what remains is sheer emptiness."[5] TV Guide was equally dismissive, noting, "the world of an Israeli kibbutz is reduced to a few simple-minded cinematic clichés . . . no different from a boarding school or overnight camp. The only really indigenous thing to be found here is the beautifully photographed Israeli scenery, which borders on travelog material rather than background setting."[6]
References
- Not Quite Paradise at IMDb
- Nina Darnton (6 June 1986), "Gilbert's Not Quite Paradise", The New York Times (retrieved 15 November 2012).
- Joe Baltake (8 September 1986), "Not Quite Paradise: Not Quite On The Mark", Philly.com (retrieved 15 November 2012).
- Patrick Goldstein (11 July 1986), "Movie Review: Not Quite Paradise Is Not Quite That Funny", Los Angeles Times (retrieved 15 November 2012).
- MH (no date), "Not Quite Jerusalem", Time Out (retrieved 15 November 2012).
- "Not Quite Jerusalem: Review", TV Guide (retrieved 15 November 2012).